44 Inch Chest (2009) - Friday Night Review

Sexy Beast (2000) was a beast of a movie - it allowed Ray Winstone and Ian McShane to chew every line of the "cunt"-filled dialogue that screenwriters Louis Mellis and David Scinto put on paper. It also allowed Sir Ben Kingsley to show up at the Kodak Theater with other hopefuls for a bald, gold statuette. There was a scene involving a rolling rock, a suntanned and speedo-wearing Ray Winstone fanning himself, and a swimming pool in Southern Spain.

Taking all this into account, 44 Inch Chest has a lot to live up to. Not only the screenwriting duo were back (albeit going their separate ways in real life for a few years now), but Winstone and McShane were back as well. Three more names also came along for the ride: Tom Wilkinson, John Hurt, and Stephen Dillane. In other words, the most charismatic group of British actors working today - Sir Ben's absence is a sore spot, though.

They talk. They say "cunt" a lot. John Hurt spits out his dentures. Tom wilkinson lives with his mum. Ian McShane plays an insanely smooth and lucky gay playboy. Stephen Dillane has tattoos. Ray Winstone talks to himself. So, why is this so bad? Because they talk and talk and talk .... and that's it. It feels like a very bad copycat version of Reservoir Dogs where you take out the intrigue and the heist. What you're left is a bunch of tough guys, talking tough and not doing much else.

A major, major fail.

Having said all that, I would like you to check back this blog for another review from a different point of view .... it might just be glowing.